Kenya

Case Study

Kenya

In December 2011, River Nzoia in Western Kenya broke its dykes and caused havoc in Budalangi Division. Crops were washed away, livestock drowned, houses were severely damaged and there was an outbreak of water-borne diseases. Flooding in this low-lying area on the shores of Lake Victoria is not a new phenomenon. However, floods have become more frequent and intense over the past decades. The case study in Kenya looked particularly at coping strategies in the aftermath of the December 2011 floods. Ninety-one per cent of the respondents received relief aid, often in camps. However, for many HHs the food that was distributed to them was not enough. The other coping strategies they adopted, such as the sale of draught animals to buy food or reconstruct their house, were found to have severe implications for future livelihood security.